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Pinch-hit, power combo key to Cards’ success
- Updated: August 15, 2016
CHICAGO — The two most reliable offensive catalysts this season — pinch-hitting and power — came through again on Sunday for a Cardinals club that was well aware of who was looming. Three outs away from meeting Aroldis Chapman, the Cardinals, boosted by their bench and two blasts, toppled Chicago’s pursuit of a series win with a five-run eighth that secured a 6-4 win.
Chapman, who has run off 27 straight scoreless appearances against the Cardinals, never pitched with a lead in this series, largely because the Cardinals scored 12 eighth-inning runs in a four-day span. Both of their wins were of the come-from-behind variety, and the Cardinals muscled up for nine series home runs.
None of it helped the Cardinals gain any ground on the division-leading Cubs, but it did allow St. Louis to keep pace with the Marlins in their pursuit of the second National League Wild Card spot.
“Coming in, we could care less that they were hot, honestly,” Stephen Piscotty said of the Cubs, who had won 11 straight before Saturday. “It’s Cardinals-Cubs. Anything can happen. I think we showed that.”
Down, 3-1, entering the eighth, the …
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